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Date:
03 September 2014

Graham Hurdle is managing director of E-Training World

Andy Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 and when I wrote this blog he was doing well in 2014.

But what makes a great tennis player?

Before I continue I feel I should confess that my knowledge of tennis could be written on the back of a postage stamp! But what I do know is that when a tennis ball is being struck at over 100 mph one key skill is a player's ability to anticipate where their opponent will hit it.

A professional tennis player's reaction time is incredibly quick, and the reason for this is their ability to "read the game". Similarly, a very good driver's reaction time will be quick thanks to their ability to read the road ahead.

Andy Murray will notice little details about his opponent. Where is he looking, which way are his feet positioned and what clues to his whole body language indicate where, and how, he is going to play the ball.

As a driver, I look for those little clues that will give me an idea of what might happen next.

Clues to potential hazards include things like horse muck on the road causing me to expect to see a horse further along. Rubbish bins outside residential houses or shops that indicate it is waste collection day and a rubbish collection vehicle may be just around the next bend. A green traffic light that seems to be on for a while, indicating it's about to change to red.

By looking for these clues it gives you TIME to think, which reduces your reaction time, and with the speed a tennis ball flies at, and the speed a vehicle travels, even half a second can make a big difference.

Andy Murray has spent years learning these skills, yet continues to receive coaching.

Many drivers have had no training since they passed their test, but their inability to read the road is far more dangerous than Andy missing a shot.

There was a time when driver training meant you had to go out in a vehicle, but thanks to online systems, like the ones provided by E-Training World, you can continue to improve your drivers' standards through courses which cover attitude, observation, knowledge and hazard perception.

Some people may think that Andy Murray losing a game is a matter of life or death. The reality is, sending poor drivers out in a company vehicle could literally be that serious!

And investing in online training could be cheaper per head than a few portions of Wimbledon's strawberries and cream!

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